Theoretical Qs about the Olympics

I tried to write a few other entries about the Olympics.  However, between gushing about the opening ceremony, writing about how I love seeing athletes from all over the world, and some self-indulgent navel gazing about my memories of past Games, the entries were all a bit crap. Especially as the Games are making me both really miss London and feel smug about having been to many of the places where events are taking place. I can't promise that my smugness won't be highly annoying, so watch the Games with me at your peril. Especially the upcoming events in Hyde Park, one of my favourite places in London. You have been warned.

So, instead of the above, I am going to revert writing a list of theoretical questions about the Olympics.

If you could watch one sport live, what would it be?

Me: 400m men's sprint. Tane: gymnastics, although he says it's for the skills involved not because of the girls in leotards.

If you could be a gold medalist in any sport, what would it be?

Me: swimming. I like the idea of being that good at swimming. Tane: a gymnast.

What sport would you never ever want to do?

Me: diving. Those boards are high. Tane: wrestling, for fear of getting his head stuck between a sweaty man's thighs.

How would we have staged the opening ceremony? Tane and I decided that it was fabulous as it was, but being a 1066 geek I would have loved to see a reinactment of Hastings in there somewhere.

Where should the Olympics in 2020 be held?

Istanbul! I don't think they have ever had one, and have no idea if they even want one. But still.

What sport would we discourage Amotai from doing?

Me: boxing. He only has 6 teeth, I wouldn't want to see them knocked out. Tane: weight lifting, after watching a Thai woman dislocating her elbow yesterday.

Bringing baby up bi-lingual

As many of you know, it's Maori language week this week. I always enjoy Maori language week, especially seeing how every year a little more of the language is used in mainstream media - yesterday the cities in the weather on the news were called by their Maori names, the NZ Herald changed their masthead, and my gym instructor talked about it. This is Amotai's first Maori language week, though, and it has got me thinking: how can I bring up a bi-lingual child? The studies detailing the benefit of a second language are endless - it's good for brain development, cultural awareness, and helps children learn other languages later. But, in practice, how can I bring up Amotai learning another language? Especially when my second-language skills are limited to basic Maori, conversational but not fluent Italian, basic Spanish, and one German module entitled "in the supermarket"?

Things our baby likes

Time rolls on, Our tastes change. Once upon a time I didn't like avocado or pumpkin. Once upon a time my favourite comic was Roy of the Rovers.

When you're under a year old, your tastes change a lot quicker. This is a snapshot of what Amotai is into in his ninth month in the world . It's also an excuse to put up some of my favourite recent photos.

Wheels

If it rolls or spins, Amotai is a big fan.

 Rings

Or, to be precise, the classic Rock-a-Stack toy - thanks heaps, Emma!

Books

Sometimes when he's upset, nothing soothes him but a cuddle and a read of one of his favourite books: Brown Bear, Each Peach Pear Plum, One Mole Digging a Hole, Toddle Waddle and some of the That's Not My... series.

 Sleeping on his tummy

Not long ago he always slept on his back. Now it's always on his front. Lord knows how he manages to stay asleep in some of the positions he gets into.

 Exploring

Now he can crawl quickly and pull himself up, he is master of his domain. We say 'no' a lot now, when he goes for the laptop power cord, the phone, books and some other things. We're yet to see much of a deterrent effect.

 Other little people

He's a sociable little boy, which is really nice. Unless you're the kid whose hair he pulls.

 New things

In this case, the beach at Makara and the stones on it. Which, of course, he tried to taste.

 Mum

Especially when she comes home from work. Speaking from experience, after a long day at the office that grin is the greatest thing in the world.

 Dad

He's alright, the old man. He's particularly funny when he crawls after me trying to put my nappies on.

Movie reviews: The Dark Knight Rises and other superhero stuff

After a bazillion years, I'm moved to write some more reviews on my other blog. It's comic book movie stuff, which probably tells you something about what gets me going!

http://tanesreviews.blogspot.co.nz/2012/07/the-dark-knight-and-two-other-superhero.html

10 ways you know you're getting older

Tane and I were looking through photos earlier from when we had only been together about a year.  There were a few things that strike me about this photo: you can't see grey hair on either of us, we look much younger, and I don't think I've seen my Edmond's Cook Book since. When Amotai looks at this photo in years to come, I imagine he'll think his parents look like totally different people than the ones he knows. I also hope he doesn't look too much in the background, because he will see the rude shaped cookies our then flatmates baked.

This is one of many things recently that has made me feel that I am getting older. Wiser, of course, and happy with my age, but still older. These are others:

1. Feeling a little miffed when kids in uniform don't give up their seats on the bus. What an old fogey! I'd like to think in my day it was different, but it wasn't. I just didn't care.

2. Seeing clothes in Glassons that look exactly like the outfit I wore to the Form 2 disco. Have I really been through an entire fashion cycle in my life?

3. Playing board games with friends regularly, while having trouble remembering the last time I played drinking games.

4. Hanging out with friends and everyone comparing their sports injuries, physios and chiropractors. Being very aware of how I could injure myself whenever I do hard exercise.

5. Listening to the National Radio on the walk to work, rather than ZM. Feeling like I have read every Cosmopolitan and Cleo before.